CVE-2023-53367
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Habana Labs accelerator driver. When a new context opens immediately after user mappings are captured and a hard reset occurs, memory isn't properly freed. This affects systems using Habana Labs AI accelerators with vulnerable kernel versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with habanalabs driver
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or potential privilege escalation through memory corruption.
Likely Case
Memory leak gradually consumes kernel resources, potentially leading to system slowdowns, crashes, or denial of service over time.
If Mitigated
With proper monitoring and resource limits, impact is limited to occasional performance degradation before detection.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access, specific hardware, and ability to trigger context creation/reset sequences. No public exploits known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 314a7ffd7c196b27eedd50cb7553029e17789b55 and 973e0890e5264cb075ef668661cad06b67777121
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/314a7ffd7c196b27eedd50cb7553029e17789b55
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fixes. 2. For distributions: Apply kernel security updates from your vendor. 3. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source with the patched commits.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable habanalabs driver
allPrevent loading of the vulnerable driver module if Habana accelerators aren't required
echo 'blacklist habanalabs' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod habanalabs
Limit user access
allRestrict access to Habana accelerator devices to trusted users only
chmod 600 /dev/accel/*
setfacl -m u:trusteduser:rw /dev/accel/*
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor kernel memory usage for unusual increases using tools like slabtop or /proc/meminfo
- Implement resource limits and restart services if memory usage exceeds thresholds
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if habanalabs module is loaded: lsmod | grep habanalabs. Check kernel version: uname -r and compare with patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or is from a distribution that has backported the patches.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- System logs showing memory pressure
- Driver error messages related to habanalabs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "oom" OR "habanalabs")